Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Com Mirr by Mcole J She leers out from the mirror at me. I try to look her in the eye, but I can't find the courage. I have seen her before. I have made that journey once or twice. She resembles a woman (me), except she has only one crooked tooth covered by a mouth ringed in cold sores. Her skin is an absurd shade of yellow...somewhere between canary and banana. Clumps of her hair have fallen out and what is left accentuates a skull that is more bone than skin. Yes, I have managed to look her (me) in the eye once or twice. She is my constant companion. "It's for the best," she whispers to me, always soft, coaxing words that do not belong with that face. "Do it now. Do it quickly. Get it over with." 1 look away. I lean down to the sink and splash cold water over my face, closing my eyes tightly to the image before me. I have long since given up the belief that I am mad. Madness has an end. Madness would be too simple, too easy. I would not be expected to deal with madness. I could simply go to my padded wall without mirrors. 1 would How to submit fi to Garnet and Bl Send your mar Black at 1400 Gree House, Columbia, S.C are accepted. Fiction than 4000 words. Macii are pre ict ' he Hocn 1 never have to see her (me)^^B again. My eyes open. The^^B water rolled down in^^B between my breasts. What^^B am I now? A size 36B a voice^^B in my mind snaps. They^^B j^g have shrunk, just as^^fl you have lost your^B p? period, just as you are^H losing your teeth...what^? IS did the dentist say? What^M happened to the enamel on^B you teeth? Had a fever as a^B child, please...the voice accused.^B It always accused, but at least I did^B not have to look at it. I shrank^M away from it as I always did. turned the faucet off. "It's^fl the easiest way. What^B other choice have you^fl got?" she (I) asked from^ the mirror. ^B I look at my enemy,^B standing innocently in the^B corner. It sparkles bright-^^^^H ly...tidy bowl clean. It shares^B my name. 1 he irony has not escaped me. My destruction,^! my ruin, it is my own?a part of^B me. "Do it now before you waste any more time. Your teeth, your heart, your period, these are all small prices to pay. It's worth it. They'll love you. Remember. They'll love you." I'll do it, I decide. Just this once. Just this last time, and then never again. After this I will find the self control. I will find the will not to destroy myself any longer. (This is not an original thought). I lean over, putting my fingers against the porcelain as the bile begins to rise. Shame and relief rise with it, and the woman 1 . ? ? oegins to grin her one-toothed grin. iction ack: iuscript to Garnet and ne St., USC Russell 29208. Short shorts should be no longer itosh Disc submissions ferred. charged for damages." "They do not," Brently denied hotly. "Yes, they do, Brently. The only reason nobody has hurt you yet is continued from page 14 hoped was a sufficiently menacing voice. "Yes you did," Alex replied with easy confidence. "I saw you Brently, and the fact of the matter is, it was a lame stunt. Now me, when 1 want to pull a stunt, I do something creative like moving all the furniture out of the RHD's apartment." "You did that?" "You bet your ass I did. And how?" he asked, then tapped his forehead. "Because I will do whatever it takes. 1 got the brains to pull something like that off, and I know how to stav cool about it instead of*trying" to "make everybody else look guilty. You, my friend, couldn't stay cool with an igloo up your ass. That's why everybody hates you, Brently. That's why everybody knows that you're the little weasel who got his whole floor because you're living with that football player brother of yours, and nobody wants to tangle with him." "I don't know what you're talking ahonr." "Yeah, you do, stop playing games. Anyway, you're getting me off track. Remember that Biology 110 class you took last semester. Darwin, remember him? The point is, it's survival of the fittest. You, Brently, are not fit. That chromosome square dance did not do you any favors. You do not have the qualities that you're going to need to stick around and be any good at it, as I have already explained to you. So if I were you, I'd just get it over with new and save everybody c be. the hassle." "You're a sicko," Brently said with what he hoped sounded like sufficient disgust. He turned away to leave. "Yeah, maybe, but I'm also right, and you know it," he said and Brently turned back, a look of hopelessness filling his eyes. "Think about it Brently, just think about what I said. Still haven't made a decisionr' he asked, gesturing toward the machine. "Huh? Oh, yeah, yeah I have," he said and looked quickly at the machine. The first thing his eyes fell on was the Doritos. "I'm getting Doritos," he said and raised his arm toward the coin slot. "Doritos? Just salt? Are you sure that's what you want?" Alex asked catching his arm. "That's your Ja& couple of quarters, man. You only get one chance.'? Brently looked at him with a mixture of horror and dread. "Who are you? Are you Satan?' he asked weakly. "No Brently, I'm not Satan. I'm just somebody that knows you. It's for the best, Brently. Nobody wiil make fun of you. You won't have to listen to your mother. You won't have to try to fit in anymore. Just think about it. You'll make the right decision," Alex said and stepped up to the machir?w, "You mind if I go aheadT' he asked and popped two quarters into the machine. He pressed two buttons and a Snickers bar fell down. He pulled it out and held it out to Brently. 'Trust me Brently, I know what you want," he said handing it to him.